The Prodigal Brother
by William Logan
Summary: Lance returns to the Brotherhood after "Joyride," meanwhile, Kitty contemplates his departure


I thought this up today after watching "Joyride" for the half millionth time.  
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Disclaimer: As much as I would like to say they did, not one of this motley crew of mutants belongs to me, they all belong to Marvel entertainment.  
  
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"The Prodigal Brother"  
By William Logan  
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Lance Alvers leaned against the wall of the elevator in the X-Mansion, heading up from the hangar back to the room he'd been staying in for the past week. How could he possibly have been so stupid, he wondered silently to himself, of course the X-Men would never accept him, he had been a fool to believe otherwise. His only option was to return to the Brotherhood and hope that they wouldn't kick him out of the house the second he set foot inside. Even after he had helped save the X-Jet and the lives of the students on board, he was initially blamed for the damage done to Xavier's plane. He tried to cover for Bobby and the others, but they admitted their fault and were probably starting to clean the jet up right now, Lance thought as the doors of the elevator opened to the hall. The only thing he had gotten from his stay here was a kiss on the cheek from Kitty a few moments earlier. She had kissed him, just when he figured that he had lost all hope of ever gaining her affection, she had kissed him. As he walked into his room to collect his stuff, he touched the spot on his cheek and smiled dreamily. Maybe she really did like him. Not that it mattered anymore, he would be the enemy again the moment he set foot out the mansion gate. That was fine by him, he decided bitterly, he didn't give a hoot what any of the X-Geeks thought of him. He knew it was simply a defense mechanism, that his feelings were really hurt, but that was just the way he was. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed downstairs towards the garage.  
  
"Hey, Alvers," he heard a familiar voice call from behind him, "look, I'm sorry for misjudging you." He turned to glare at Scott, who shrugged his shoulders, looking genuinely apologetic.  
  
"Forget it, Summers, there's nothing you can say or do to get me to stay. I'm outta here." He opened the garage door and slammed it before Cyclops could get another word out. He threw his stuff in the back of the Jeep and climbed into the driver's seat. He took a deep breath as he turned the ignition and pressed the garage door opener button he'd been given by the Professor. Lance squinted as the light from the just-rising sun hit him in the face. It was a new day, and he was going back where he belonged. He floored the gas pedal, not looking back, driving through the gates which opened automatically for him and speeding down the highway until the mansion was out of sight. He never saw Kitty coming out of the front door to make one final plea to get him to stay.  
  
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Lance took the long way home, stopping to pick up some food with what remained of his allowance from Xavier. He figured that it might be a good bargaining tool to get the Brotherhood to accept him back, especially Blob. The fastest way to a mutant's heart is through his stomach. He pulled into the driveway, hopped out of his jeep and grabbed his backpack and the grocery bag and went inside the house, finding that they hadn't changed the lock since he left. He found the living room of the boarding house to be in its usual state of decay, little had changed since he had left, and certainly nothing for the better.  
  
"Hey, guys, I'm back," he called out.  
  
"So the prodigal mutant returns," he heard Tabby say from the kitchen, "the geek squad finally have enough of you? What makes you think we want you back?" Lance entered the kitchen, finding Blob, Boom-Boom, Quicksilver, and Toad all sitting around the table all playing Scrabble.  
  
"I have food," he said, "and I didn't have to steal it out of the dumpster behind McDonald's."  
  
"That was just once, yo!" Toad said defensively.  
  
"And you think we're going to let you back in just because you brought us some fresh produce," Tabby scowled at him, "do you think we're that desperate?"  
  
"Oh, wow, he bought Twinkies!" Blob said, his voice muffled by the paper bag his head was stuck in.  
  
"Leave it to Blob," Pietro muttered, slapping his forehead.  
  
"I think we should let him back in," Fred said, holding an apple in one hand and a half-eaten Twinkie in the other, the snack cake wrapped up in his giant fingers.  
  
"Hey, now, Blob, we could all eat for at least two weeks on all food, or you could eat for fifteen minutes, which do you think we'd all prefer?" Lance said. Fred just looked sheepish as he gulped down the rest of the spongy confection.  
  
"You're talking like we already let you back in," Quicksilver said, zipping up to stand beside Lance, "what makes you think we want a former X-Geek in our ranks?"  
  
Lance glared at Pietro, his hand balled up into a fist, "Listen, Maximoff..." the ground began to tremble, the letters from the Scrabble board falling down onto the floor.  
  
"All right, all right," Pietro spoke more rapidly than usual, "I vote him back in. I hope you at least got some Surge." He joined Blob in grocery bag diving.  
  
"Toad, c'mon, buddy," Lance pleaded with the youngest Brotherhood member.  
  
"Hey, as far as I'm concerned you never left, yo." He jumped up and hugged Avalanche.  
  
"Okay, okay... get off now." Lance muttered, trying to pry Toad off of him. "And you, Boom-Boom."  
  
The only female member of the group stood, walking over to Lance and smiling, running a finger along his jaw, "Well, Lancey, I suppose we could give you another chance." She blew a kiss at him and went to go help the other put the groceries away. Lance sighed and went upstairs to put away his clothes. He was back with the Brotherhood, where he belonged. But then why did he feel so out of place?  
  
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Kitty sat on her bed, hugging her pillow. Her face was streaked with tears, her eyes swollen and puffy. She heard a soft knock on the door and sighed, wiping her face with the sleeves of her pink shirt.  
  
"Come in," she said with a sniffle.  
  
"Hey, you all right, Kitty?" Rogue said, coming into the room.  
  
"Yeah, like, what would make you think otherwise?" She replied sarcastically, "Why did Scott judge Lance so harshly, I mean, like, he was really trying to fit in. If it hadn't been for Lance, a few of the students wouldn't even be alive now." Rogue sat on her bed across from Kitty and grimaced.  
  
"Scott's just a bit protective, that's all," Rogue said, "he's just trying to look out for you."  
  
"Well, I can take care of myself," Kitty pouted, "if I needed his help, I'd ask for it."  
  
Rogue thought about this for a few minutes, "You're right. But it wasn't just him that made Lance leave. I don't think he was ready to be an X-Man."  
  
"Maybe you're right, but do you think he ever will be?"  
  
"I'm sure Lance will come around eventually. I lived with those yahoos for a while, remember, and he was the only one of all them who had a brain." Rogue sighed, recalling with some irritation the pool rescue incident in training that one day, but trying to dismiss that for Kitty's sake. "What I'm saying is, I think Lance will be back."  
  
"I hope so," Kitty muttered softly, embracing her pillow all the tighter and looking out her window at the lake.  
  
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FIN  
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End file.
